Exploring Earth’s Frontiers

By Willow Alena '27, September 22, 2023

Matthew Weil ’24 spent the summer interning with NASA.

Matthew Weil '24 (third from right), spent his summer working in NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program.

(Photo submitted)

While it wasn’t quite space exploration, physics major Matthew Weil ’24 did get to spend a fair amount of his summer hundreds of feet above the earth’s surface, thanks to his time in NASA’s Student Airborne Research Program in Hampton, Virginia.

Established in 2009, the program pairs rising college seniors with NASA scientists and allows them to study and conduct research in crucial scientific fields. Interns have the choice to study land, atmospheric or oceanographic processes. While in the program, interns operate scientific equipment on research aircraft and identify hotspots of air pollution. They then use the data they obtain and report it to local government agencies.

“People think NASA is all space and sending people to the moon but there’s a whole division for Earth Science, and an entire sector for development of satellites. There’s a lot of things NASA does that people don’t realize exist.”

Matthew Weil '24

“People think NASA is all space and sending people to the moon but there’s a whole division for Earth Science, and an entire sector for development of satellites,” Weil says. “There’s a lot of things NASA does that people don’t realize exist.”

The Student Airborne Research Program pairs rising seniors with NASA scientists.

Weil’s typical day began at 5:30 a.m., as he boarded a bus headed to an airfield where he and the rest of the interns began pre-flight orientation, detailing safety and flight details. Flights would take off and ascend to an altitude between 500 and 1,000 feet. After approximately eight hours of flights, the interns would return to begin data analysis

That’s when, he believes, his time at IC gave him a leg up over the other interns, most of whom attended large research institutions.

“We're a liberal arts school, and the ability to have that background to inform a different point of view than others was definitely an advantage,” Weil said.

In addition to the data collection and analysis, Weil also conducted a research project over the course of two weeks. He examined multispectral spectroscopy data taken various levels and altitudes. Using this data, he would use a machine learning model to classify and create a map of an entire wetland. The model informed scientists what type of vegetation can be found in various areas of the wetlands. The model was 85% accurate for most species of vegetation, and the map he created is being used by scientists in the program.

Along with his research, Weil also got the opportunity to meet Karen St. Germain, who is the head of the NASA Earth Science division and hear about the division’s next mission.

Whether in water or in the air, Weil was able to conduct critical research to gather information that's still being used by NASA's scientists.

(Photos submitted)

“It was really cool to talk to her and hear about the next steps in the future of the Mission Directorate,” he said.

He also visited the Goddard Space Flight Center and the Langley Research Center, which was a highlight.

“Being able to visit the research centers and seeing all the interesting science and technology that has been developed there and the projects that they were working on was really cool,” he said.

Weil credits Eric Leibensperger, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, with encouraging him to apply. One of Leibensperger’s former students participated in the program, and the professor believed Weil would be a good fit for it.

“Having the NASA name on my resume, and the connections I’ve made with people who work there, will be a plus.”

Matthew Weil '24

“The research I did with him gave me an understanding of what I was interested in,” Weil said.

Weil took back several important lessons from his time in the internship, including the value of working in a group and the importance of open-source data. Armed with this new information, he hopes to work for a government or science-based agency after graduating.

“Having the NASA name on my resume, and the connections I’ve made with people who work there, will be a plus,” he said.